We check in with people at each stage of the cash transfer process to see how things are going. Take a look at some of their stories as they appear here in real-time.
Learn more about how recipients opt in to share their stories.

Stages:

Enrollment

attach_money

Transfers

check

Completed

to follow someone and stay updated on their journey with GiveDirectly.

Currently, my life is different from how it was in that, I eat a well-balanced diet and dress well too. Previously, we could only afford to buy vegetables because they were cheap and that is what my parents could afford. I also used to repeat the few clothes that I had which was embarrassing but I had no choice because I did not have money to buy new ones. I am glad that I am now financially stable because of GiveDirectly's support. The biggest step that I have made so far is joining college. To me, this is a dream come true.

Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?

I do not have any goals at the moment. I still want to continue paying my college fees. I fully depend on transfers from Give Directly to pay my fee and upkeep. I feel that if I think of doing something else it will not only distract my studies but also make me lose focus in life because I will have lost both the transfers and dropped out of college.

Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.

The biggest difference in my life is that I was able to join college. I did not know that I could have joined college because my parents could not afford it. I had tried casual jobs and even worked as a house help for three months but the money was not enough to take care of my needs leave alone paying school fees. My siblings are still young and I could mostly send my mother the money to handle their needs first. This was life-transforming because I have joined college taking a twelve month's course. I hope to graduate by December and hopefully get a job afterward which will help me to support my younger siblings.

How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?

My expectation in the next six months is to complete paying my college fees and waiting for my graduation. I am taking a twelve months business course paid fully with the transfer which I get from GiveDirectly. I am hopeful that after this, I will have my certificates which will help me get a job. I want to support my parents because my younger siblings are still in school. I will be happier to see them get a good education and prosper in life.

4th Payment

Transfer Amount

4560 KES ($46 USD)

access_time 7 months ago

attach_money

Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.

The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving payments from GiveDirectly is that I have been able to pay my college fee without much stress. I completed my secondary education the previous year and did not have any hope of joining a tertiary college. I am so happy to continue pursuing my education and I will forever thank GD for bringing back my lost hope.

How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?

In the next six months, I expect to have bought all the required items I need in college to ensure my smooth learning. I am also thinking of starting up a business which I can do part-time to earn me some income so that I can manage to get my basic needs while in college. This will save my mother the challenge of looking for money to send me as pocket money and spend it on her own needs.

How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?

Life is currently different from how it would have been if I never received the transfer because I am currently enrolled in a college and pursuing my studies. I had no hopes of going beyond High School considering the financial status of my family. My mother is a widow and she really works hard to ensure we get basic education to be independent people in future. I am so grateful for GiveDirectly's transfers because through them I revived my hope and now I can pay my college fees without stressing up my mother.

Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?

My new goal is to support my mother in paying fees for my siblings back at home. Since my mother is a widow and she is overburdened with the household's budget, I am planning to be sending her part of my transfers to be assisting with paying school fees for my siblings. This will ease her some financial burden.

Enrolled

access_time over 1 year ago

What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?

The biggest hardship I have faced in life, is the difficulty in paying my high school fees since I was occasionally sent home, and I could take longer period before I got back to school. This really affected my performance.

What is the happiest part of your day?

The happiest part of the day is during the mid morning when I have finished doing my household chores and I watch interesting movies during leisure time.

What are you planning to spend your transfer on?

I am planning to spend my transfer on paying school fees for my younger siblings. I shall also use part of it to boost our farming activities in order to increase our crop production.

What is the achievement you are proudest of?

The achievement I am proudest of in life, is having attained tertiary education in computer science. Currently, I can personally operate a computer.